Hearing Loss Associated with Higher Risk of Parkinson’s Disease in Veterans

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Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered a correlation between hearing loss and an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Their findings indicate that the likelihood of PD rises with the severity of hearing loss but decreases when hearing aids are provided in a timely manner.

Previous studies have identified sensory impairments, such as issues with vision, hearing, and smell, as potential early indicators of neurodegenerative diseases. Hearing loss has also been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, which shares clinical, genetic, and pathological characteristics with PD. These sensory declines may signal early damage within neural pathways that indicate broader neurodegeneration.

In a cohort study titled “Hearing Loss, Incident Parkinson Disease, and Treatment With Hearing Aids,” published in JAMA Neurology, researchers analyzed data from over 3 million U.S. veterans with hearing loss and tracked the incidence of PD. The results showed a clear association between hearing loss and increased rates of PD, with a direct correlation between the severity of hearing loss and the risk of developing the disease.

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As reported by medicalxpress, The study included 3,596,365 veterans (96% male, average age 67) who underwent audiograms from 1999 to 2022. Participants were categorized based on their hearing abilities: 20.8% had normal hearing, while the others experienced varying degrees of hearing loss, classified as mild, moderate, moderate to severe, or severe.

Ten years after their audiograms, the researchers found that the incidence of PD increased with the severity of hearing loss. Veterans with mild hearing loss experienced an additional 6.1 cases of PD per 10,000 individuals; those with moderate loss saw an increase of 15.8 cases per 10,000; moderate to severe loss was associated with 16.2 cases per 10,000; and veterans with severe to profound hearing loss had an increase of 12.1 cases per 10,000. Notably, veterans who received hearing aids promptly showed a reduction of 21.6 cases per 10,000.

These findings highlight the need for further research to explore the mechanisms linking hearing loss to neurodegenerative diseases like PD.

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In the meantime, the study authors advocate for mandatory hearing screenings at the primary care level, even when patients do not express concerns about their hearing. They note that hearing screening and interventions are cost-effective and low-risk approaches that could potentially reduce the risk of developing synucleinopathy later in life. These interventions may represent a significant modifiable risk factor for dementia in midlife and could similarly impact the risk of PD.